Crate



. Aug- 25, 1942. A. T. FAULKNER CRATE Filed Jan. 2l, 1959 f ,s (WIJN,

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 25, 1942 UNITE STATS TENT OFFICE CRATE Application January 21, 1939, Serial No. 252,222

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to crates and more particularly to bottle crates.

The primary objects of the instant invention are to provide a crate or rack of the general character above indicated which is particularly well adapted for the handling and the transporting of bottles; to provide such a crate or rack having a plurality of compartments or cells especially designed to facilitate the introduction of bottles into its compartments or cells; and, to provide such a crate which is light in Weight yet rugged in construction and which is economical in manufacture.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the bottle crate or rack showing a single bottle supported within one of its compartments or cells;

Figure 2 is-a sectional view thereof on line 2 2 of Figure 1 and illustrating the manner in which the introduction of bottles into one of the several compartments or cells may be readily effected; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top perspective View thereof.

Referring then to the drawing wherein like parts of the structure shown are designated by the same numerals in the several views, the bottle crate there illustrated is preferably formed oi wire or light gauge rod suitable for ready forming and of stamped sheet metal members adaptable for convenient electric welding with the wire or rod portions of the crate.

The frame of the bottle crate comprises the identically formed rectangular bottom member l, top member 2 and intermediate member 3, all of wire or light rod and secured together in substantially equally spaced vertical relationship by electrically spot welded corner supports or uprights 4 of stamped sheet metal and by spaced wire uprights 5 intermediate the corner supports.

The floor of the crate is preferably formed by a plurality of spaced slats 6 transversely disposed with reference to the length of the crate which slats are here shown as seated upon and spot welded or otherwise secured to longitudinally spaced wire members 'l which in turn are supported between the opposite end portions of the bottom frame member l to which they may be secured as by electric spot welding.

Spaced longitudinally disposed Wire members S extending the length of the crate and supported as by electric spot welding, and spaced transversely disposed wire-'members 9 extending the widthof the crate and here Vshown as spot weldedly secured to the under surfaces of the opposite side portions of the upper frame member 2 and to the under surfaces of the spaced members -8, form bottle receiving compartments or cells.

Intermediate the lower frame member l and upper frame member 2 are a series of spaced longitudinally disposed undulated wire members I0 whose opposite ends are spot weldedly secured to or between the opposite end portions of the intermediate frame member 3, each member I0 being disposed beneath a wire member 8 in substantially the same vertical plane. A second series of spaced transversely disposed undulatedV wire members Il are similarly secured at their respective opposite ends to or between the opposite side portions of the intermediate frame member 3, each member Il being disposed beneath a Wire member 9 in substantially the same plane.

The several contacting apices of the undulated wire members I0, Il are preferably electricallyV spot welded together which apices together with the longitudinal and transverse upper wire members 8, 9, form compartments or cells for the vertical disposition and retention of bottles I2 therein and as indicated in Figure 1.

The several contacting apices of the cross members i0, Il form downwardly converging or V- shaped reaches admirably adapted to guide a bottle to an upright position which has been presented at an angle to the cell or compartment it is intended to ll, all as best indicated in Figure 2 of the drawing. Thus from a practical consideration, bottled wares such as soft drinks which must be expeditiously handled, may be readily and conveniently seated within the crate compartments by workmen who grasp several bottles in each hand and introduce them to the crate cell openings at angles thereto.

In other words, the apices of the inner cross members l0, ll present a relatively small and rounded upstanding surface upon which bottles presented at angles to the indivdual crate cells do not lodge as do bottles presented to crate cells having linear transversely disposed inner partition members. Since the bottles are thus guided into vertical disposition within the several cells of the crate by these V-shaped reaches, crates for the handling and transportation of bottled goods made inV accordance with the disclosure herein, make it unnecessary for one who is filling such a crate to insert the bottles within their respective compartments in a substantially upright position in order to have them fall to a vertical position within their cells.

Although the crate herein shown is particularly well adapted for handling bottles of the Coca-Cola type since the central portion thereof is inwardly formed, the crate is nevertheless likewise adaptable for handling bottles having Walls of differing contour.

It will thus be seen that the crate herein shown and described is efcient in use, light in weight yet rugged in construction and is economical in manufacture. While but one specic embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is defined by upper partition members, said inner partition members having vertically disposed corrugation-- like bends providing V-shaped reaches between crossing points of the members which facilitate the upright positioning of an object presented at an angle thereto.

2. A crate comprising side walls and the bottom, crossed longitudinal and transverse upper partition members, and crossed longitudinal and transverse inner partition members vertically alined with the upper partition members and having downwardly disposed loop-like bends between their crossing points providing downwardly converging parts which facilitate the upright positioning of an object presented at an angle.

3. A crate comprising side walls and the bottom, crossed sets of upper partition members, and crossed sets of inner partition members vertically alined with the upper partition members and having downwardly converging parts between their crossing points which facilitate the upright positioning of an object presented at an angle thereto.

ARNOLD T. FAULKNER. 

